Acute postdisaster psychiatric disorders: identification of persons at risk.
This study examined the prevalence of four psychiatric disorders--posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and alcohol abuse/dependence--in survivors of a jet plane crash into a hotel. Forty-six subjects were interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule/Disaster Supplement within 4-6 weeks of the event. More than half of the subjects met criteria for a psychiatric disorder after the disaster. More than two-thirds of the cases of acute postdisaster psychiatric disorders were predicted by identifying the subjects who had predisaster psychiatric histories. Predisaster psychiatric disorder predicted postdisaster psychopathology with a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 90%.
Smith
E M
EM
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110.
North
C S
CS
McCool
R E
RE
Shea
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000209:etiology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology